One Step Forward
by Zuyuri92
Summary: Anna is getting married, much to the delight of her older sister and maid of honor Elsa. Anna wants to do the same for Elsa, but there's one snag; her sister doesn't have a significant other. Yet a dashing gentleman at the wedding reception might change that.


**Inspired by a violin quartet of "Let it Go" I found when googling.**

The final preparations were set. The whole wedding was all set for the summer festivities. An arbor was set up with bright, summer time flowers. People milled around in bright colors. There was happiness and joy throughout the streets regarding today;s big event, and that included the bride's maid of honor, who was known for being an "ice queen" personality. But beneath the seemingly cold persona was someone with a love for her younger sister that couldn't be stopped.

Elsa beamed as the zipper went up Anna's back. Her younger sister was getting married. Married! It was no secret she and Kristoff were smitten with each other, but the wedding couldn't come quicker. So far, everything about the wedding had gone right. The weather was perfect for the outdoor ceremony with no trace of wind or ice coming to ruin it despite it being the cusp of winter and spring. The cake, now in storage, had been delivered on time. Now the piece de resistance, Anna's wedding dress, was fitting her like a glove.

Her little sister was stunning. The white gown was everything Elsa loved about her sister. It was fluffy but not too over the top. The cap sleeves were cute and timeless. The ball gown skirt was wide enough for drama but not wide enough to swallow her whole. Her ginger hair was pulled up into a neat bun as opposed to her pigtail braids. How long ago was it Anna was just a little girl running around in jean jumpers while Elsa read nearby? Her little sister was a woman now. She was grinning so wide Elsa thought her sister's face would break.

"You look beautiful. Kristoff's face will be priceless."

Anna blushed. "Oh, you don't mean that."

"But I do." She grabbed the bouquet that had been swimming in a small vase. The bright yellow sunflowers were crested by off-white roses. Well, it was a slap in the face to what season she was getting married in. All they needed was a beach and the whole season thing would be set. She adjusted the little rhinestone crest holding the bouquet in place. She handed the flowers to her sister with a wide grin.

"I can't wait for..." Anna began.

"I know," Elsa stopped her.

"Elsa, you didn't let me finish," Anna pouted. "I can't wait until I get to do this with you."

Elsa blinked. "What do you mean?"

Anna pointed to their reflections in the mirror. Elsa was pale compared to her sister. The wedding party colors were green and aqua. Elsa, along with Anna's bridesmaids, were donning emerald green maxi dresses in different styles. Hers was an off-the shoulder cut. Her white-blonde side braid was adorned with tiny yellow hairpins. Anna pointed again. "I want you to be the one in white. I'll be in whatever froofy bridesmaid dress you put me in."

"I promise not to make you look like a cupcake," Elsa teased.

The two sisters laughed before hugging. There was a knock. The limousine had arrived, ready to drive them to the church so Anna could finally get married.

The ceremony had gone smoothly. Kristoff almost started crying when Anna came down the aisle, which earned him a smirk from Elsa, who spent most of the ceremony adjusting Anna's dress and listening to vows and passages about love. Family members and friends from both sides filled the church, beaming at the happy couple. Rings were exchanged. The 'I-dos' were said, and the priest finished the wedding rites with the declaration of "You may kiss the bride." Anna had tackle-kissed Kristoff then, making the congregation giggle. Elsa's cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so hard. Yet as she watched her sister and new husband beam, she'd be lying to herself if something like jealousy wormed around.

The feeling continued when the wedding party drove to the downtown hotel the couple had rented out for the reception. Elsa looked out the window of her the limousine, watching everything go by in a blur. Her bouquet was starting to look messy, and it wasn't just from them messing around for pictures.

The ballroom the hotel had rented for the wedding party had been modestly set up, but the interior designers knew every detail. The walls were a color between alabaster and sand, adorned with white crown molding. A trio of tiered chandeliers hung from above, giving the honey-stained wood a golden color. Tables with ivory cloth and name tags, complete with the green-aqua sunflower motifs of Anna and Kristoff's wedding, added some color against all the brightness. Even their wedding cake, a four tiered chocolate-ice cream cake, had been adorned with edible flowers. Silver buffet meals were piping at a long table in the end where guests could get their fill after settling in.

Elsa went through the food line without any interactions except for an occasional 'You look beautiful' or "Thank you for coming" from guests and family. She accepted her place near the bride and groom's table, picking at the meal with her fork. Anna and Kristoff were in the midst of their first dance as a couple and Elsa found herself craning her neck to watch them; they deserved this day. They had been dating for three years after all. She had been watching their love story unfold and couldn't be happier. Anna said she wanted to be her maid of honor, and Elsa was flattered, except for one small detail; Elsa never had a boyfriend or even showed romantic interest in anyone.

A rumor started that she was attracted to women and that was why she never found a date. It burned Elsa up inside. So what if she didn't like men who clearly wanted to get in her shorts or rubbed her the wrong way? So what her focus for years had been getting her political science degree and not dating. She had always been an academics and family first person. As for the rumor, well, Elsa respected people that did play for the other team, but she was not among them.

As people applauded the couple, Elsa took the chance to walk over to the bar on the far side of the room. She ordered a glass of bubbling rose before going to stand by one of the many tall vases to people watch. Everyone else was on the ballroom floor dancing or hidden in eves accepting hors d'ouevres and champagne glasses. She shook her head with a small smile.

"Warmer than I thought, isn't it?"

Elsa nearly spilled her wine when the voice spoke by her. Catching the glass before it could spill, she spun around. Someone was leaning close by the vase. He was a young man about her age, and she had never met him before in her life. He had shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes, and the only sign she knew he was here for the wedding was from the aqua cloth in his jacket pocket. He was looking at her, a glass of champagne in one hand.

She took the hint he was talking to her and she cleared her throat. "Very much so. A bit cool for July, though."

He took a swig of his drink and there was a beat of silence. "Yeah. So…what's your connection?"

"The bride's my sister," she answered. "What about you?"

"I…don't know them well," he admitted, "I'm here because a friend of a friend works in the ice business with the groom."

"Got it," Elsa answered. She avoided looking at him for a while, smiling back out at the party. Apparently a grandfather or something had one too many drinks and had asked Anna for a dance. He was stealing the show, prancing around her in something that Elsa could not describe but an interpretive dance about birds. Elsa couldn't suppress the giggle that came out of her mouth. The man next to her gave a mock toast, a mirthful smile crossing his face. The two of them looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes before bursting into laughter.

"Poor Kristoff," he said, "he's never getting his wife back."

"Not until the garter ceremony," Elsa chimed in.

They shared a laugh again before looking away out onto the crowds. Someone ate three plates of cocktail shrimp and their friend was rushing up to get more from the buffet when the man spoke again.

"I'm Terra by the way." He extended a hand out. She accepted it, giving a firm shake.

"I'm Elsa."

They locked eyes. Terra looked like he wanted to say something, but quickly glanced away. Elsa let go to sip her wine daintily. Butterflies were buzzing in her stomach and she cleared her throat just to make a noise. As she took another sip, Terra looked back at her.

"So, what do you do when not watching old men spaz on the floor?"

This segwayed into long conversations about their lives. They discussed hobbies, interests, and what they did for living. He was a member of the city police department, working hard to ensure the safety of the people. She noticed the determination that gleamed in his eyes whenever he spoke of wanting to protect individuals. There was an occasional twitch of the lip whenever he was amused, breaking his 'resting bad boy pout' every so often. Once she got past the rough around the edges façade, he was a genuinely carrying person; a heart of gold beneath his tough guy look.

"We've been in this corner for a while," Terra said, "Think we should stretch our legs on the dance floor?"

"Thank you, but I don't dance." Elsa felt her face burn furiously as she looked away. The last person who had asked her to dance had been a drunken uncle who had performed a jitterbug at their family reunion.

"I'd look pretty stupid on the floor alone," Terra argued

Elsa sighed in defeat. "Fine." Her hand fell to meet his offered one.

He walked with her to the fringe of the dance floor. The party was slowly clearing out with perhaps a few couples dancing and some children running around unsupervised. Elsa's face was hot now. No doubt people were watching them. Not just because she was the bride's sister who before refused to dance, but now with someone that, well, maybe a small fraction of the room knew.

A slow dance started. Elsa and Terra locked eyes before he opened a hand out. Elsa smiled before bobing a curtsy and walking out with him in tow. He brought a hand into a simple dance hold, one hand on her waist and the other cradling her right fingers. Needless to say they both were not that good when they started out. There was stumbling before getting back into their right positions. Sometimes they'd bump into a couple before walking away. Terra had succeeded in the turn, but she had failed in the follow through, practically crashing into him. But he shrugged it off, like it was just something that happened on a regular occurence. The steps became more assured until they were able to get around without clumsy mess-ups. Really, it took them a while to get that right, maybe about the halfway point of the song playing. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa saw Anna covering her widely spread grin in their direction.

"You know, it's funny," Terra mused, "I didn't want to dance at that party... But now... Here we are."

Elsa ducked her eyes down. "I didn't want to talk...and now...well..."

"And now?" he leaned in.

"Now I'm, well…having fun."

Elsa had completely forgotten everyone else in the room. She was drowning in his blue eyes with her hand still holding onto him. She had no idea the song ended until he coaxed her off the floor back to their wine glasses. She spent the rest of the evening with him, the smile on her face now one of genuine joy and not plastered to her face for the sake of her sister. They even danced again, each time improving their routines.

Terra even stayed to walk her to the limousine. He would call a driver for himself since his other friends had slipped out earlier in the reception. As they got closer to the limousine, he slipped a napkin into her hands. Written in ink was his name and phone number.

"If you ever wanted to dance again…without the audience," he said.

Elsa blushed. "Are you asking me out?"

"Isn't it traditional for the guy to give the girl his number?"

"Then my answer is yes."


End file.
